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The Bible in Context

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The Bible in Context 1 BiAS - Bible in Africa Studies THE BIBLE IN CONTEXT Essay Collection Lovemore Togarasei UNIVERSITY OF BAMBERG PRESS Bible in Africa Studies Études sur la Bible en Afrique Bibel-in-Afrika-Studien 1 Bible in Africa Studies Études sur la Bible en Afrique Bibel-in-Afrika-Studien edited by Joachim Kügler, Lovemore Togarasei & Masiiwa R. Gunda in cooperation with Ezra Chitando and Nisbert Taringa Volume 1 University of Bamberg Press 2009 The Bible in Context Essay Collection by Lovemore Togarasei University of Bamberg Press 2009 Bibliographische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliographie; detaillierte bibliographische Informationen sind im Internet über http://dnb.ddb.de/ abrufbar Dieses Werk ist als freie Onlineversion über den Hochschulschriften- Server (OPUS; http://www.opus-bayern.de/uni-bamberg/) der Universi- tätsbibliothek Bamberg erreichbar. Kopien und Ausdrucke dürfen nur zum privaten und sonstigen eigenen Gebrauch angefertigt werden. Umschlaggestaltung: Joachim Kügler/ Teresa Zak Text-Formatierung: Joachim Kügler © University of Bamberg Press Bamberg 2009 http://www.uni-bamberg.de/ubp/ ISBN: 978-3-923507-54-2 (Online-Ausgabe) URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:473-opus-2131 On the Series: "I do not know of any positive association with bias in English but I think it is ironical and I would suggest we keep it. My reasons are simple, first, there is indeed a lot of bias in the manner the Bible has been used in Africa, and Europe etc. BiAS would be an interesting series title for us. Second, the series is taking a deliberate decision to focus more on the Bi- ble in Africa, which essentially is a bias also. I therefore think this title should clearly explain the core of what we are going to do, and maybe at the end of the series people will realise bias is not always bad." (M. R. Gunda) With this series of essay collections and monographs on Bible in Africa and Africa related Biblical Studies we want to open up a forum of academic exchange on an international level. This exchange is usually not quite easy, especially be- tween scholars in Africa and in the West. The reasons are lack of library sources on one side, lack of interest on the other. Presenting a book series which is published in Ger- many but available all over the world via internet we hope to improve communication a bit. We invite all Biblical scholars dealing with Africa related topics to bring their best studies into the BiAS series. Online publication is without any costs; only printed exemplars need to be funded. Joachim Kügler – Lovemore Togarasei – Masiiwa R. Gunda This book is dedicated to my parents for their exceptional parental gift. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................10 INTRODUCTION: MY PERSONAL JOURNEY WITH THE BIBLE ....................12 SECTION 1: TRANSLATING THE BIBLE IN CONTEXT...............18 CHAPTER 1: THE SHONA BIBLE AND THE POLITICS OF BIBLE TRANSLATION..........................................................................................19 Introduction .......................................................................................19 A brief history of the translation of the Shona Bible..........................20 The politics of translation: general....................................................25 Politics in the translation of the Shona Bible.....................................29 The place of mabira among the Shona...............................................31 The politics of translating banquetings into mabira ..........................34 Not mabira but kuraradza: Improvements to the Union Shona translation..........................................................................................36 Conclusion .........................................................................................37 Bibliography ......................................................................................39 SECTION 2: JESUS IN CONTEXT........................................................42 CHAPTER 2: JESUS’ HEALING OF THE LEPER AS A MODEL FOR HEALING IN AFRICAN CHRISTIANITY: REFLECTIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF HIV/AIDS .43 Introduction .......................................................................................43 My Approach to Jesus’ miracles........................................................46 The Healing of the leper ....................................................................48 Jesus’ Understanding of Healing.......................................................49 Healing in African Christianity..........................................................52 The Healing of the leper as a model for healing in African Christianity ........................................................................................56 Conclusion .........................................................................................57 Bibliography ......................................................................................58 CHAPTER 3: IMAGES OF JESUS AMONG CHRISTIAN WOMEN IN HARARE ..61 Introduction .......................................................................................61 New Testament Christology: definition and general background......63 African Christology: a general overview...........................................64 Christology of Harare women............................................................65 Conclusion .........................................................................................74 Bibliography ......................................................................................75 7 SECTION 3: PAUL IN CONTEXT ........................................................ 77 CHAPTER 4: BEING A CHURCH IN WORLD OF DISUNITY: REFLECTIONS FROM FIRST CORINTHIANS 1-4 ................................................................ 78 Introduction....................................................................................... 78 The Church in Corinth ...................................................................... 79 The problem of factionalism in the church at Corinth....................... 81 Reflections on the modern church ..................................................... 86 Conclusion......................................................................................... 92 Bibliography...................................................................................... 93 CHAPTER 5: THE CONVERSION OF PAUL AS A PROTO-TYPE OF CONVERSION IN AFRICAN CHRISTIANITY ............................................... 95 Introduction....................................................................................... 95 The Problem of conversion in Africa................................................. 96 The conversion of Paul...................................................................... 98 Paul’s attitude to his former religion and tradition ........................ 100 The conversion of Paul as a proto-type for conversion in Africa.... 103 Way forward.................................................................................... 107 Conclusion....................................................................................... 109 Bibliography.................................................................................... 110 CHAPTER 6: PAUL AND THE ENVIRONMENT: AN INVESTIGATION OF HIS CHRISTOLOGY AND ESCHATOLOGY ...................................................... 112 Introduction..................................................................................... 112 Paul’s assumption of the Old Testament about creation................. 114 The Environment in Pauline Eschatology ....................................... 115 The Environment in Pauline Christology ........................................ 117 Paul, Christians and the environment ............................................. 122 Conclusion....................................................................................... 126 Bibliography.................................................................................... 127 SECTION 4: POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CONTEXT ...................... 129 CHAPTER 7: ‘LET EVERYONE BE SUBJECT TO GOVERNING AUTHORITIES’: THE INTERPRETATION OF NEW TESTAMENT POLITICAL ETHICS TOWARDS AND AFTER ZIMBABWE’S 2002 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. .................. 130 Introduction..................................................................................... 130 The Political situation in Zimbabwe Towards and After the 2002 Presidential Elections...................................................................... 131 NT political ethics and how they have been interpreted in history.. 134 Pro-ruling party interpretation ....................................................... 138 The anti-ruling party interpretation ................................................ 140 8 Theological reflections on the NT political ethics in the 21st century .........................................................................................................142 Conclusion .......................................................................................145 Bibliography ....................................................................................146 CHAPTER 8: READING AND INTERPRETING THE BIBLE DURING ZIMBABWE’S 2000 FAST TRACK LAND REFORM PROGRAMME: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST ZIMBABWE. ...........................148 Introduction .....................................................................................148
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